Very Blue Beard
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''Very Blue Beard'' (russian: Очень синяя борода, ) is a 1979 Soviet
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
animated film Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
loosely based on the '' Bluebeard''
fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...
by
Charles Perrault Charles Perrault ( , also , ; 12 January 1628 – 16 May 1703) was an iconic French author and member of the Académie Française. He laid the foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with his works derived from earlier folk tales ...
. Directed by
Vladimir Samsonov Vladimir Samsonov or Uładzimir Samsonaŭ ( be, Уладзімір Віктаравіч Самсонаў, russian: Владимир Викторович Самсонов, born 17 April 1976) is a Belarusian former professional table tennis player ...
, screenplay by
Arkady Arkanov Arkady Mikhailovich Arkanov (russian: Аркадий Михайлович Арканов; 7 June 1933 – 22 March 2015) was a Russian writer, doctor, playwright and stand-up comedian. Biography Arkanov was born Arkady Mikhailovich Steinbock in ...
. Cinematography by Vladimir Milovanov. Original music score by
Gennady Gladkov Gennady Igorevich Gladkov (russian: link=no, Геннадий Игоревич Гладков; born 18 February 1935) is a Soviet and Russian composer. He composed music for some of the most famous Soviet movies and cartoons, most notably ''The ...
. Lyrics by Yuliy Kim. Released by T/O Ekran. A detective is investigating the crimes of the medieval
duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
Bluebeard is the latter really guilty of murdering his wives?


Plot summary

The protagonist of the film is a nameless detective, who is interested in the Bluebeard's
case Case or CASE may refer to: Containers * Case (goods), a package of related merchandise * Cartridge case or casing, a firearm cartridge component * Bookcase, a piece of furniture used to store books * Briefcase or attaché case, a narrow box to c ...
. He drives to question him, at the same time making a phone call to his wife. His overly jealous wife tries to persuade him to return immediately, as she suspects him of infidelity. But the detective is fascinated with the story of Bluebeard, who suddenly appears in front of him. Bluebeard says he was sincerely looking for a happy married life. He "lived alone, all alone in the world" and "wandered around the castle, waiting for isbrides". Bluebeard wished to be "a husband and a father" and to have, like other people, "family, love and duty". However, his first wife, Marianna, was a terrible fashion-monger, who tormented Bluebeard with recent fashion trends. She cut his beard, completely renovated the interior of the castle and didn't pay Bluebeard any attention, calling him old-fashioned. In the end, exasperated Bluebeard trod on the tail of her personal dragon, causing him to breathe fire, and Marianna was burned alive. His blue beard grows again. The second wife, Lilyanna, was a
health worker A health professional, healthcare professional, or healthcare worker (sometimes abbreviated HCW) is a provider of health care treatment and advice based on formal training and experience. The field includes those who work as a nurse, physician (su ...
. She noted that Bluebeard suffered from "total thinness" and that he treated himself with criminal negligence: "You're on the brink of the grave, but I'll take your case." Lilyanna made her husband do
gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shou ...
,
yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...
, prohibited drinking wine, eating meat, etc. Extremely exhausted Bluebeard endured it due to his love for her. He finally poisoned her with a toxic
mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is t ...
Amanita The genus ''Amanita'' contains about 600 species of agarics, including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide, as well as some well-regarded edible species. This genus is responsible for approximately 95% of the fatalities result ...
, which, ironically, she took away from him and ate just as he was about to eat it himself, driven to extremes by this kind of life. The third wife, Vivianna, was very beautiful, sociable and cheery. Unlike the previous wives, she had butterfly wings. At first Bluebeard and his wife feasted happily, surrounded by the friends and neighbours of the duke. Vivianna, singing "love has no boundaries", flew around the castle: "If it is possible to embrace all living creatures, I am ready to embrace them all". One day Bluebeard went hunting and returned only to find Vivianna in bed with one of his own friends. After short mêlée combat Bluebeard was killed by a stab in the back - possibly by Vivianna. The Detective writes down the story. On the way home he calls his wife to tell her about a successfully completed investigation. His paranoiac wife doesn't believe him and starts a quarrel. She accuses her husband of infidelity and promises to divorce him. The detective spitefully answers "I'll be home in a moment, my dear", and an exceptionally long blue beard grows on his face.


Voice cast

* Mikhail Boyarskiy, as ''Detective'' and the ''Duke Bluebeard'' *
Oleg Anofriev Oleg Andreyevich Anofriyev (sometimes spelled Anofriev, russian: link=no, Олег Андреевич Анофриев; 20 July 193028 March 2018), PAR, was a Soviet and Russian theatreРусский драматический театр: Энци ...
, as ''Duke's dog'' * Valentina Ignatyeva, as ''Marianna, the first wife'' * M. Smirnova, as ''Lilyanna, the second wife'' * Larisa Dolina, as ''Vivianna, the third wife'' * Aleksandr Belyavskiy as the ''Narrator''


External links

*
Very Blue Beard
at the
animator.ru Animator.ru is a Russian website chronicling the films, people and studios of the animation industry in Russia, the former Soviet Union and (to a lesser extent) the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It also includes a forum, a news block, ...
{{Bluebeard 1979 films 1979 animated films 1979 in the Soviet Union 1970s musical comedy films 1970s crime comedy films Films scored by Gennady Gladkov Films based on Bluebeard Russian satirical films Soviet animated films Studio Ekran films 1979 comedy films